Mike Weir seizes the better part of a better day to forge a lead

• Canadian leads by two strokes, 10 clear of Tiger Woods
• Second round under way but more bad weather forecast

Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland plays his tee shot on the 17th hole during the continuation of the first round of the US Open on the Black Course at Bethpage. He finished on 69, one under par and five off the lead. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images. Andrew Redington/Getty Images

With more weather delays in the offing and more complaints from the pampered ranks of the world's best players wearily inevitable, the 2009 US Open will not be remembered as one of the more good-natured majors but it may turn out to be one of the more compelling.

Mike Weir was in the lead after the delayed first round was finally completed, taking advantage of some fine weather and a golf course stripped of its defences to shoot a six-under-par 64. It was terrific effort but it might have been historic had he not double-bogied his 15th hole of the day. With that went his opportunity to set a record low score in a major championship.

The Canadian left-hander then went straight back out on the course to start off his second round and held his own against par over the opening four holes. That gave him a one-shot advantage over Sweden's Peter Hanson and the 2004 Open champion, Todd Hamilton, both of whom were on five under par.

More significantly he had a 10-shot advantage over Tiger Woods, who many believed had only to turn up this week to collect the trophy. The turning up part proved simple for the world No1 but alas the getting the ball in the hole did not, at least not over the final four holes. Level par to that point, he proceeded to drop four shots. It was a sloppy effort but he was not about to concede defeat.

"I have just got to continue doing what I am doing, hopefully drive the ball a little bit better and catch a couple of breaks. We will see what happens," he said. "Well, I wasn't playing poorly and that's the thing. I was even par with four holes to go and I was right there where I need to be. But two bad shots, a mud ball and here we go – I'm four-over par."

In fairness to Woods, he was one of the unlucky players who had to play part of their first round in Thursday's rain and the other part yesterday morning, before the sun arrived and scoring conditions ­improved considerably. Golf was never meant to be fair but, as if to prove the point, all the leaders were among those who started their week bathed in glorious sunshine – the likes of Weir, Sweden's Peter Hanson, who signed for a four-under-par 66, and the former world No1 David Duval, who defied his recent history and a ranking of 882 to shoot a three-under 67.

Phil Mickelson, the so-called people's champion, was another who took advantage, although not as much as he might have done. A lost ball on the par-five 13th and three missed short putts turned what might have been a sensational effort into something merely good, 69.

Woods, who will not start his second round until later today, was by then back home, presumably stewing over fate's ­unfair hand. Indeed, very few from his half of the draw made their presence felt on the leaderboard, which merely served to heighten the efforts of Ian Poulter, who will start his second round on level par, and his Ryder Cup compadre Graeme McDowell, who signed for a one-under 69. Characteristically the Northern Irishman was on the far side of phlegmatic afterwards, judging himself to be only "five out of 10" when it came to handling the pressures of a major championship.

"Guys like Tiger and Padraig Harrington, major winners over the last few years, have learned how to do it and prepare mentally for it. There's no doubt that you have got to serve your time and learn how to do I've led a few majors after day one but that's not what I'm trying to do. it. I'm just trying to stick around for the weekend, trying to position myself so that I can compete on Sunday afternoon."

Make that Monday afternoon or possibly Tuesday – or even Wednesday, if the weather is worse than predicted and there is a play-off. Controlling the elements is beyond even the USGA but that benighted organisation, widely criticised down the years for a succession of blunders on these occasions, once again left itself open to justified criticism, not least for its refusal to refund fans who bought tickets for Thursday's first round and saw only three hours of play.

It was announced that all such unfortunates would be entitled to free entry in the event that the tournament was extended into Monday. That was later amended to a 50% refund on their tickets. Such munificence was not extended to players, much to the chagrin of Poulter, who had a few choice words to say about the organiser's refusal to allow the players to lift, clean and place their ball. "It is a little bit disappointing but the rule is the rule and they don't want to change it."

With that the English dandy tramped off to a waiting car, and then to the cinema, where he planned to spend the after­noon watching the latest Hollywood hit The Hangover. "I've heard it's absolutely hilarious,'' he said.

Well, it was surely more fun than trying to organise a ­major championship in a Long Island monsoon.